Introduction “Aged persons, alive in the time of Mr. Surveyor Pue...remembered her in their youth as a very old, but not decrepit woman, of a stately and solemn aspect. It had been her habit...to go about the country as a kind of voluntary nurse, and doing whatever miscellaneous good she might; taking upon herself, likewise, to give advice in all matters, especially those of the heart; by which means...she gained from many people the reverence due to an angel.” (pg. 31)
This quote hints at Hester's fate at the end of the novel. It seems that she will be forgiven by the townspeople, or perhaps her crime will be forgotten completely as a new generation takes over the town. It also shows that Hester will continue to attempt to do good for the rest of her life in order to compensate for her sin. The lack of reference to Pearl implies that she has left her mother, perhaps to seek out her own life away from the town which regarded her as the product of sin.
“The characters of the narrative would not be warmed and rendered malleable by any heat that I could kindle at my intellectual forge. They would take neither the glow of passion nor the tenderness of sentiment, but retained all the rigidity of dead corpses, and stared me in the face with a fixed and ghastly grin of contemptuous defiance.” (pg. 34)
Being a writer myself, I appreciated and completely identified with this quote. Characters in stories and novels tend to take on lives and personalities of their own, and sometimes refuse to do what you'd like them to do. I feel a lot like Hawthorne (or Hawthorne's narrator, if the introduction isn't true) right now; I want to write a story that's in my head, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the characters and story moving.
“...I happened to place [the scarlet letter] on my breast. It seemed to me – the reader may smile, but must not doubt my word – it seemed to me than that I experienced a sensation not altogether physical, yet almost so, as of burning heat...” (pg. 31)
The scarlet letter burned the narrator of the introduction, which reminds me of the story. Dimmesdale is always holding his chest as though it pains him, and at the end of chapter ten it's revealed that he has something on his chest that is causing this pain. If it's something like the scarlet letter, then both men are hurt by the indication of sin.
Chapter 1
The prison door, in a symbolic sense, is similar to the scarlet letter. The door represents the protective barrier that a person displays to hide their secrets and sins. A prison door protects the outside community from dangerous sinners. Likewise, an individual uses a "mask" to conceal his or her hazardous truths from society.
When Hester comes out of the prison door, she is reborn into society as a different person. Hester is no longer a cherished part of her community. She has become "black flower of a civilized society" (Hawthorne 2). Hester is diminished to her one great sin of adultery. She is viewed as nothing more than the scarlet letter on her dress. In this sense, the prison door symbolizes the transformation of Hester's character.
Chapter 2
I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don’t matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They still gon put pictures of my derrière in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me…
I’m Miss bad media karma
Guess I can’t see the harm
In working and being a mama
And with a kid on my arm
I’m still an exception you want a piece of me?
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! This just in' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. ‘You want a piece of me?’ Tryin’ and pissin’ me off
Well get in line with the paparazzi
Who’s flippin’ me off
Hopin’ I’ll resort to some havoc
End up settlin’ in court
Now are you sure you want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me…
I’m Mrs. ‘Most likely to get on the TV for strippin' on the streets’
When getting the groceries, no, for real..
Are you kidding me?
No wonder there's panic in the industry
I mean, please, do you want a piece of me?
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (you want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! this just in' (You want a piece of me) I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don’t matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines They still gon put pictures of my derrière in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece piece Piece of me…
You want a piece of me?
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! this just in' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! this just in' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
You want a piece of me
You want a piece of me
Britney Spears may not seem to be the most appropriate example to demonstrate thematic elements of such a profound novel as The Scarlet Letter; however, her song "Piece of Me," released in 2007 at the height of her much-publicized psychological meltdown, somehow relates no matter how incongruous the pair. Just as the gossip women who “take a peculiar interest in whatever penal infliction” may ultimately fall upon Hester Prynne, the media and tabloids constantly barrage Britney Spears with gossip of her sex life, moral standards as well as whether or not she is a suitable role model for children, all similar to the gossip that Hester too faces. Britney and Hester are also not immune to scorn by society even with their children, epitomized by BritBrit’s line “Guess I can’t see the harm in working and being a momma, and with a kid in my arm, I’m still an exception.” Like Hester’s house at the edge of the town near the forest, Britney says that she can go as far away as the Philippines and people will still judge her and say rude things; in effect, both women are unable to ever escape the gossip that surrounds their lives.
Chapter 3
The Recognition
The literal interpretation of the chapter's title is Hester Prynne's recognition of her husband in the market place crowd. Hester realizes that the strangely dressed, deformed man is her presumably dead husband.
It seems that Hester fully recognizes the consequences of her sin when she identifies her husband in the crowd. His face is of "writhing horror" when he sees Hester with a child in her arms that is not his own (Hawthorne 14). She realizes she has hurt him deeply with her adulterous sin.
Also, hints are given which may help the reader recognize the true father of Hester's illegitimate child. Reverend Dimmesdale's behavior is slightly strange considering the circumstances. Speaking to Hester "drove the blood from his cheek, and made his lips tremulous" (Hawthorne 18). In his speech to Hester, he is not as scolding in his comments towards her as the Reverend Wilson.
Chapter 6
The first image is a collage of pictures which symbolize Pearl's character. There is a witch, because the townspeople (and even Hester) see Pearl as a demon-child. The treasure shows how important she is to Hester. The third picture is of Shawn Spencer, a character on the TV show "Psych". He solves crimes using his incredible observation skills; Pearl, like Shawn, is highly perceptive.
The second image is a cartoon which is a parody of MasterCard ads which shows Pearl's effect and toll on Hester's life.
Chapter 7
Hester's quote about not having her own sunshine to give to her daughter shows, quite simply, the effect that being alienated from her society has had on her. Social isolation can turn everyday stress into depression.
Hester and Pearl have an unconventional relationship, and Pearl's constant reference to and fixation with the scarlet letter on her mother's chest doesn't help her depression. It's proven that factors such as the responsibility of taking care of children and the lack of relationships can also highly increase the risk of depression in women.
People who are clinically depressed are unable to enjoy activities that they once did; Hester likely once enjoyed being in the sun, but at the time of the story she can't “gather” it like Pearl can.
Chapter 8
Despite Hester’s seemingly unfit parenting skills, the opinions placed upon her, especially in regards to her deserving the role of being a parental figure to her illegitimate daughter, must be analyzed as being from the perspective of a conservative 17th century Puritan society. In fact, the only factors used by the colonial government to criticize her do not have substantial effect on determining parental performance at all! They view her sexual relations out of wedlock, and her refusal to adhere to the societal standards as false indication of her being ill fit to parent. In actuality, Hester values her daughter more than anything else in the world, as shown through her incessant devotion to her as well as choosing to keep and raise Pearl on her own despite the additional social stigma attached.
The characters of Annie Wilkes and Paul Sheldon, from "Misery", are similar to Arthur Chillingworth and Reverend Dimmesdale, respectively. In the movie "Misery", Annie Wilkes appears to have only good intentions when she begins to take care of the badly injured Paul Sheldon. Wilkes' objectives turn selfish as time wears on and Sheldon is nearly healed. Chillingworth's intentions to heal Dimmesdale similarly become less altruistic and more self-seeking in nature.
“To the untrue man, the whole universe is false – it is palpable – it shrinks to nothing within his grasp. And he himself, in so far as he shows himself in a false light, becomes a shadow, or, indeed, ceases to exist.”
Richard and Mayumi Heene, the parents of “Balloon Boy”, were so desperate to be famous that they became “untrue” people. They wanted to gain fame, but instead they only gained infamy for staging a hoax that had Americans on edge for three days. Morally, they became shadows of themselves.
Chapter 13
At first,
The letter was all we could talk about.
Curses and gossip were all we could spout.
Just think,
What a crime she committed by cheating on her spouse!
Surely, she could have kept closed the buttons of her blouse.
Too easy,
Is her punishment, we all felt that day
If one of us had done it, we’d be killed straight away!
That girl,
Her daughter was the product of her sin
We speculate about the evil she has within.
But slowly,
As we see the way Hester copes with grace,
We draw our eyes from the letter and look into her face.
She works,
Her fingers nimble, making shrouds and such for us
And we begin to wonder why we worked up such a fuss.
The letter,
Once standing for her crime
Now seems to mean “Able”, for Hester’s in her prime!
She thrives
In the darkness of this human land
We can’t help but forgive her, though this wasn’t planned.
She acts
So very humble in her exile
That the words we say about her are no longer vile.
She looks
Harsher now, dark and rough
Surely poor Hester has taken enough.
And so
We forgive her, this helper of the poor
We finally realize that none of us is pure.
But alas,
The powerful men in town
Don’t share our feelings, and still look down.
Perhaps,
We can persuade them, with our womanly charms,
That instead of hate they should welcome Hester with their open arms
We’re off,
We the gossips that you first met in the tale
But we say remember that hate turns to love without fail.
Chapter 18
The Reverend Dimmesdale has found new hope and happiness. He is no longer burdened with his great secret; therefore he can be more spirited and unrestrained. He does not have to watch "each breath of emotion, and his every thought" (Hawthorne 157). The love Dimmesdale has for Hester can be expressed freely.
The author refers to Arthur Dimmesdale in this way because the minister has become less reverend-like in his character. His newfound joy and spirit do not reflect the conservative nature of the church.
Final Assessment
Hawthorn chose to have Hester raise a daughter instead of a son to better illustrate their relationship and the internal conflicts that resulted from Hester’s adultery. Hester is more capable of playing a role model and having a direct influence on Pearl because of their mother-daughter bond, and Pearl is seen by Hester as being the gift of her sin who must eventually face the same obstacles of life that she does and face society from a shared (female) perspective.
Of the characters in the novel, Dimmesdale, who ironically is supposed to be a man of God, committed the worst sin. He did not take responsibility for his shared actions that led to Hester’s fall from social standing and a life of loneliness being expelled from equal participation in the community. Even though Hester refuses to reveal his involvement, he continued to take part in her condemnation and never truly defended her from further persecution by the Puritan hierarchy and common people. As a result, he both denies Pearl of a strong and compassionate father figure and allows for the hypocritical nature of the society to remain without driving substantial change.
Introduction
“Aged persons, alive in the time of Mr. Surveyor Pue...remembered her in their youth as a very old, but not decrepit woman, of a stately and solemn aspect. It had been her habit...to go about the country as a kind of voluntary nurse, and doing whatever miscellaneous good she might; taking upon herself, likewise, to give advice in all matters, especially those of the heart; by which means...she gained from many people the reverence due to an angel.” (pg. 31)
This quote hints at Hester's fate at the end of the novel. It seems that she will be forgiven by the townspeople, or perhaps her crime will be forgotten completely as a new generation takes over the town. It also shows that Hester will continue to attempt to do good for the rest of her life in order to compensate for her sin. The lack of reference to Pearl implies that she has left her mother, perhaps to seek out her own life away from the town which regarded her as the product of sin.
“The characters of the narrative would not be warmed and rendered malleable by any heat that I could kindle at my intellectual forge. They would take neither the glow of passion nor the tenderness of sentiment, but retained all the rigidity of dead corpses, and stared me in the face with a fixed and ghastly grin of contemptuous defiance.” (pg. 34)
Being a writer myself, I appreciated and completely identified with this quote. Characters in stories and novels tend to take on lives and personalities of their own, and sometimes refuse to do what you'd like them to do. I feel a lot like Hawthorne (or Hawthorne's narrator, if the introduction isn't true) right now; I want to write a story that's in my head, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the characters and story moving.
“...I happened to place [the scarlet letter] on my breast. It seemed to me – the reader may smile, but must not doubt my word – it seemed to me than that I experienced a sensation not altogether physical, yet almost so, as of burning heat...” (pg. 31)
The scarlet letter burned the narrator of the introduction, which reminds me of the story. Dimmesdale is always holding his chest as though it pains him, and at the end of chapter ten it's revealed that he has something on his chest that is causing this pain. If it's something like the scarlet letter, then both men are hurt by the indication of sin.
Chapter 1
The prison door, in a symbolic sense, is similar to the scarlet letter. The door represents the protective barrier that a person displays to hide their secrets and sins. A prison door protects the outside community from dangerous sinners. Likewise, an individual uses a "mask" to conceal his or her hazardous truths from society.
When Hester comes out of the prison door, she is reborn into society as a different person. Hester is no longer a cherished part of her community. She has become "black flower of a civilized society" (Hawthorne 2). Hester is diminished to her one great sin of adultery. She is viewed as nothing more than the scarlet letter on her dress. In this sense, the prison door symbolizes the transformation of Hester's character.
Chapter 2
I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don’t matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They still gon put pictures of my derrière in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me…
I’m Miss bad media karma
Guess I can’t see the harm
In working and being a mama
And with a kid on my arm
I’m still an exception you want a piece of me?
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! This just in' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. ‘You want a piece of me?’ Tryin’ and pissin’ me off
Well get in line with the paparazzi
Who’s flippin’ me off
Hopin’ I’ll resort to some havoc
End up settlin’ in court
Now are you sure you want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me…
I’m Mrs. ‘Most likely to get on the TV for strippin' on the streets’
When getting the groceries, no, for real..
Are you kidding me?
No wonder there's panic in the industry
I mean, please, do you want a piece of me?
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (you want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! this just in' (You want a piece of me) I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don’t matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines They still gon put pictures of my derrière in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece piece Piece of me…
You want a piece of me?
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! this just in' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Lifestyles of the rich and famous' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'Extra! Extra! this just in' (You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. 'She’s too big now she’s too thin' (You want a piece of me)
You want a piece of me
You want a piece of me
Britney Spears may not seem to be the most appropriate example to demonstrate thematic elements of such a profound novel as The Scarlet Letter; however, her song "Piece of Me," released in 2007 at the height of her much-publicized psychological meltdown, somehow relates no matter how incongruous the pair. Just as the gossip women who “take a peculiar interest in whatever penal infliction” may ultimately fall upon Hester Prynne, the media and tabloids constantly barrage Britney Spears with gossip of her sex life, moral standards as well as whether or not she is a suitable role model for children, all similar to the gossip that Hester too faces. Britney and Hester are also not immune to scorn by society even with their children, epitomized by BritBrit’s line “Guess I can’t see the harm in working and being a momma, and with a kid in my arm, I’m still an exception.” Like Hester’s house at the edge of the town near the forest, Britney says that she can go as far away as the Philippines and people will still judge her and say rude things; in effect, both women are unable to ever escape the gossip that surrounds their lives.Chapter 3
The Recognition
The literal interpretation of the chapter's title is Hester Prynne's recognition of her husband in the market place crowd. Hester realizes that the strangely dressed, deformed man is her presumably dead husband.
It seems that Hester fully recognizes the consequences of her sin when she identifies her husband in the crowd. His face is of "writhing horror" when he sees Hester with a child in her arms that is not his own (Hawthorne 14). She realizes she has hurt him deeply with her adulterous sin.
Also, hints are given which may help the reader recognize the true father of Hester's illegitimate child. Reverend Dimmesdale's behavior is slightly strange considering the circumstances. Speaking to Hester "drove the blood from his cheek, and made his lips tremulous" (Hawthorne 18). In his speech to Hester, he is not as scolding in his comments towards her as the Reverend Wilson.
Chapter 6
The first image is a collage of pictures which symbolize Pearl's character. There is a witch, because the townspeople (and even Hester) see Pearl as a demon-child. The treasure shows how important she is to Hester. The third picture is of Shawn Spencer, a character on the TV show "Psych". He solves crimes using his incredible observation skills; Pearl, like Shawn, is highly perceptive.
The second image is a cartoon which is a parody of MasterCard ads which shows Pearl's effect and toll on Hester's life.
Chapter 7
Hester's quote about not having her own sunshine to give to her daughter shows, quite simply, the effect that being alienated from her society has had on her. Social isolation can turn everyday stress into depression.
Hester and Pearl have an unconventional relationship, and Pearl's constant reference to and fixation with the scarlet letter on her mother's chest doesn't help her depression. It's proven that factors such as the responsibility of taking care of children and the lack of relationships can also highly increase the risk of depression in women.
People who are clinically depressed are unable to enjoy activities that they once did; Hester likely once enjoyed being in the sun, but at the time of the story she can't “gather” it like Pearl can.
Chapter 8
Despite Hester’s seemingly unfit parenting skills, the opinions placed upon her, especially in regards to her deserving the role of being a parental figure to her illegitimate daughter, must be analyzed as being from the perspective of a conservative 17th century Puritan society. In fact, the only factors used by the colonial government to criticize her do not have substantial effect on determining parental performance at all! They view her sexual relations out of wedlock, and her refusal to adhere to the societal standards as false indication of her being ill fit to parent. In actuality, Hester values her daughter more than anything else in the world, as shown through her incessant devotion to her as well as choosing to keep and raise Pearl on her own despite the additional social stigma attached.
Chapter 9-10
Misery Trailer
The characters of Annie Wilkes and Paul Sheldon, from "Misery", are similar to Arthur Chillingworth and Reverend Dimmesdale, respectively. In the movie "Misery", Annie Wilkes appears to have only good intentions when she begins to take care of the badly injured Paul Sheldon. Wilkes' objectives turn selfish as time wears on and Sheldon is nearly healed. Chillingworth's intentions to heal Dimmesdale similarly become less altruistic and more self-seeking in nature.
Chapter 11
The Balloon Boy Hoax
“To the untrue man, the whole universe is false – it is palpable – it shrinks to nothing within his grasp. And he himself, in so far as he shows himself in a false light, becomes a shadow, or, indeed, ceases to exist.”
Richard and Mayumi Heene, the parents of “Balloon Boy”, were so desperate to be famous that they became “untrue” people. They wanted to gain fame, but instead they only gained infamy for staging a hoax that had Americans on edge for three days. Morally, they became shadows of themselves.
Chapter 13
At first,
The letter was all we could talk about.
Curses and gossip were all we could spout.
Just think,
What a crime she committed by cheating on her spouse!
Surely, she could have kept closed the buttons of her blouse.
Too easy,
Is her punishment, we all felt that day
If one of us had done it, we’d be killed straight away!
That girl,
Her daughter was the product of her sin
We speculate about the evil she has within.
But slowly,
As we see the way Hester copes with grace,
We draw our eyes from the letter and look into her face.
She works,
Her fingers nimble, making shrouds and such for us
And we begin to wonder why we worked up such a fuss.
The letter,
Once standing for her crime
Now seems to mean “Able”, for Hester’s in her prime!
She thrives
In the darkness of this human land
We can’t help but forgive her, though this wasn’t planned.
She acts
So very humble in her exile
That the words we say about her are no longer vile.
She looks
Harsher now, dark and rough
Surely poor Hester has taken enough.
And so
We forgive her, this helper of the poor
We finally realize that none of us is pure.
But alas,
The powerful men in town
Don’t share our feelings, and still look down.
Perhaps,
We can persuade them, with our womanly charms,
That instead of hate they should welcome Hester with their open arms
We’re off,
We the gossips that you first met in the tale
But we say remember that hate turns to love without fail.
Chapter 18
The Reverend Dimmesdale has found new hope and happiness. He is no longer burdened with his great secret; therefore he can be more spirited and unrestrained. He does not have to watch "each breath of emotion, and his every thought" (Hawthorne 157). The love Dimmesdale has for Hester can be expressed freely.
The author refers to Arthur Dimmesdale in this way because the minister has become less reverend-like in his character. His newfound joy and spirit do not reflect the conservative nature of the church.
Final Assessment
Hawthorn chose to have Hester raise a daughter instead of a son to better illustrate their relationship and the internal conflicts that resulted from Hester’s adultery. Hester is more capable of playing a role model and having a direct influence on Pearl because of their mother-daughter bond, and Pearl is seen by Hester as being the gift of her sin who must eventually face the same obstacles of life that she does and face society from a shared (female) perspective.
Of the characters in the novel, Dimmesdale, who ironically is supposed to be a man of God, committed the worst sin. He did not take responsibility for his shared actions that led to Hester’s fall from social standing and a life of loneliness being expelled from equal participation in the community. Even though Hester refuses to reveal his involvement, he continued to take part in her condemnation and never truly defended her from further persecution by the Puritan hierarchy and common people. As a result, he both denies Pearl of a strong and compassionate father figure and allows for the hypocritical nature of the society to remain without driving substantial change.